Monochrome oil sketch
 

Well, strictly speaking, it is not completely monochrome; I used only one pigment - umber, but in raw and burnt form.

This is a portrait of my friend. It measures 12x9.

Very beautiful.

Gorgeous.

Did you paint this portrait in one session? How did you contend with the paint as it began to dry? I would love to hear about the actual process and how you applied and managed the paint!

I like this, Valentino!

Thank you.
Yes, I painted this portrait in one sitting. I didn't have any problems with quick drying; on the contrary. I used WN Raw Umber, Old Holland Burnt Umber and a mixture of turp and linseed oil for making paint more fluid. I usually do not dilute paint with anything, but I wanted this one to dry as fast as possible.
My original intention was to make an imprimatura and proceed with glazes, but ultimately I left it in this stage. I liked the way it looks; I thought it possesses a certain "freshness" which might have been lost if I had brought it to a higher level of finish.
Most of the time I used large flat bristle brush. Small filberts were used in the very beginning (for a drawing) and in later stages for finishing details.
Here are a couple of wip shots.

Valentino,

Wonderful! You handled the umbers so well. I like her long fingers and the transparency of the shadows. Thanks for taking the WIP shots and posting them!

Valentino,

This is stunning and very fresh! I love how you combined such lively brushwork within the elegance of the monochrome. It successfully makes an interesting contemporary expressive portrait in an active compositional genre that is normally relegated to photography. Catching your subject in motion on the phone is truly rare in painting, and perhaps the monochrome aspect of this portrait is what unifies it so well.

Garth

Thank you. I am glad you liked it.

Valentino--

Very strong work! Thanks so much also for the work-in-progress pictures, too.